This invention pertains to the manufacture of an articulated, predominantly concrete mat, which comprises concrete blocks and a flexible geogrid embedded in said blocks and in which the flexible geogrid defines flexible members connecting said blocks to one another.
An articulated, predominantly concrete mat is disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 5,108,222, the disclosure of which is incorporated herein by reference. As disclosed therein, such a mat has numerous uses in retarding earth erosion due to wind, water, or both. Such a mat may be also used to line a driveway, a parking area, or an emergency roadway.
As disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 5,108,222, supra, the articulated, predominantly concrete mat comprises concrete and a flexible geogrid, which is embedded in said blocks, and the flexible geogrid defines flexible members connecting said blocks to one another.
This invention facilitates the manufacture of an articulated, predominantly concrete mat, which comprises concrete blocks and a flexible geogrid embedded in said blocks and in which the flexible geogrid defines flexible members connecting said blocks to one another, by providing an intermediate article being a concrete slab, in which a flexible geogrid is embedded. When this invention is considered in terms of a process, the concrete slab is cast and the flexible geogrid is embedded when the concrete slab is cast.
The slab has relatively thinner portions, along which the slab is breakable to form said blocks. The slab has relatively thicker portions, which become said blocks when the slab is broken along the relatively thinner portions. Preferably, the relatively thinner portions extend longitudinally and transversely, before the slab is broken along the relatively thinner portions.
Depending upon the flexible geogrid that is used, the flexible members may be flexible straps, as disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 5,108,222, supra, or flexible strands or strand bundles.